Tried double kneading, didn't help much. Made it again tonight, still not cooking properly in the middle. This time I baked at 475 for 15 minutes, the edges were perfect, inside didn't rise at all like it should.

Tried double kneading, didn't help much. Made it again tonight, still not cooking properly in the middle. This time I baked at 475 for 15 minutes, the edges were perfect, inside didn't rise at all like it should.

Scotty,

Since you posted double kneading didn't help, how long are you letting your dough temper before baking and are you tempering at room temperature or in a oven with the light on? How much does your dough rise while in the steel pan when tempering the dough before the bake? Does the crust fall in the middle during the bake?

This time I baked at 475 for 15 minutes, the edges were perfect, inside didn't rise at all like it should.

Hard to tell from the picture, it might be that the sauce slid down the crust a little when you cut it, but it looks like you put a LOT of sauce in the middle of the pizza which will definitely cause a high-hydration crust to collapse.

Hard to tell from the picture, it might be that the sauce slid down the crust a little when you cut it, but it looks like you put a LOT of sauce in the middle of the pizza which will definitely cause a high-hydration crust to collapse.

And it was like a paste... Not sure if I was supposed to mix it with water or what, but it was too thick to work with and I ended up putting more on there than I would've liked. It was a disaster all around.

Sixty-seven years after Buddy’s Pizza originated the Sicilian-style square on the corner of Conant and Six Mile, the family-owned restaurants are serving up something new - in skinnier boxes. Nearly seven decades since the Motor City favorite got its start, Buddy’s Pizza has added a brand new options to its menu that are sure to have tastebuds talking.From gluten-free and multigrain crusts to vegan and antioxidant options, offering a variety of choices without sacrificing the famed Buddy’s flavor is nothing new to this Detroit institution. That’s never been more apparent than it is this month, as Buddy’s Pizza introduces Buddy’s Detroit’s Original Square Sicilian Style Thin Crust Pizza.“This year, Buddy’s is excited to announce our new Sicilian Style Thin Crust Pizzas,” said Robert Jacobs, Buddy’s Pizza president. “Handcrafted from our famous original dough, Motor City Cheese Blend and tomato basil sauce, we’ve developed four new pizzas – each with a thin, light, crunchy crust and bold new flavors.”The new Buddy’s Detroit’s Original Square Sicilian Style Thin Crust Pizza will be available beginning June 24, 2013. The collection includes the following brand new pizzas:

As all of Buddy’s original pizzas, the new thin crust collection will be available at the restaurant’s nine metro Detroit locations in Auburn Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Dearborn, Detroit, Farmington Hills, Grosse Pointe, Livonia, Royal Oak and Warren.“Buddy’s has been a Detroit tradition for over 67 years. The magic is in the pie,” said Wesley Pikula, Buddy’s Pizza vice president of operations. “We’re excited to create these new pizzas, and offer our patrons another great way to experience Buddy’s original homestyle taste.” On Monday, June 24, each restaurant will celebrate Buddy’s Pizza Day and Buddy’s 67 years of business in Detroit, by offering customers appreciation cards. Once a month through the end of the 2013, cardholders can purchase an 8-square cheese pizza for $6.70 and add extra toppings for 67 cents each. Appreciation cards will be available through June 29, or while supplies last at each location.

About Buddy’s PizzaSixty-seven years since the introduction of the first square pizza, Buddy’s Pizza thrives in metro Detroit with 9 locations that serve the loyal clientele who have consistently made the brand a favorite nationwide. Buddy’s has been recognized as one of the Nation’s Five Best Pizza Places by the Food Network; one of the top 10 great pizza places in the country by Parade magazine; dubbed the Hottest Independent Pizzeria in the Nation by Pizza Today; One of the best 25 Pizzas in America by GQ and One of the 25 best pizza spots in the US byFood & Wine Magazine.

Norma what formula and dough making method did you find to be the best?

Gin,

I started out with a hydration of a little over 71%, but have since moved to 75%. I use 1.75% Kosher salt and use the Occident flour.

I have been using my flat beater on my Kitchen Aid mixer and my Hobart Mixer and mix two times with a rest period in between. My dough is still sticky when I take it out of the mixer, but it isn't really sticky, but can stick some to my fingers. I then sprinkle a little flour on the batch of dough at market, then cut, scale and ball. When balling if the dough is still a little sticky I have a little pile of flour sitting there that I just sit the dough ball on and then try to ball again. If for some reason it is still too sticky I repeat just what I did with sitting the dough ball on the flour again and ball. The dough balls then get oiled and go into the steel pans. I did use .80% IDY, but since have moved the IDY back, since the weather is warmer in our area. The dough balls still ferment well to the next day. The steel pans are covered with processing caps and stacked in my deli case until the next day. When they are needed, then the dough is pressed out in the steel pan cold. It is easy to pushed out the cold dough in the steel pan. The steel pans then at put into my one warming cabinet, but at home I used the oven light in the oven to temper the dough in the steel pans. When the dough has tempered enough then I dressed the Detroit style pizza with cheese and then sauce. That is for a regular Detroit style cheese pizza. I weigh the dough and it is 9.5 ounces for a 8”x10” steel pan. I bake at higher temperatures at market than what I do at home. If you want to know anything else let me know.

This was for a 10" x 14" pan with a nominal TF of .1218 with 2% bowl compensation

Mixed the dough using the method described by Norma: Kitchen Aid mixer with paddle on speed 2, then level 7/8 just until it comes together. Then a 10-minute rest. Then a speed 2 followed by a speed 8 for another minute or 2. I put a little all purpose flour on my hands and on the bench while balling because it was still quite sticky. After balling and oiling the dough with vegetable oil, I did a 20 hour cold ferment in an old bread bag. After the taking it from the fridge, I immediately pressed it into the pan and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Baked in pan on top of baking steel (lowest rack) in oven pre-heated to 500 F, then went down to 450 F for the bake. About 12 minutes total with the final 4 minutes moved off the steel and onto the top rack because I didn't want to burn the bottom and the top looked like it needed more heat.

The pizza was a hit with my family. Everyone loved the cheddary edges best. I think next time I'll swap out swiss for the provolone and try a mild cheddar on the edges. I think I'll also go with 4% bowl compensation to give me a little more dough. Thanks to this forum's members for showing us the way!

This was for a 10" x 14" pan with a nominal TF of .1218 with 2% bowl compensation

Mixed the dough using the method described by Norma: Kitchen Aid mixer with paddle on speed 2, then level 7/8 just until it comes together. Then a 10-minute rest. Then a speed 2 followed by a speed 8 for another minute or 2. I put a little all purpose flour on my hands and on the bench while balling because it was still quite sticky. After balling and oiling the dough with vegetable oil, I did a 20 hour cold ferment in an old bread bag. After the taking it from the fridge, I immediately pressed it into the pan and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Baked in pan on top of baking steel (lowest rack) in oven pre-heated to 500 F, then went down to 450 F for the bake. About 12 minutes total with the final 4 minutes moved off the steel and onto the top rack because I didn't want to burn the bottom and the top looked like it needed more heat.

The pizza was a hit with my family. Everyone loved the cheddary edges best. I think next time I'll swap out swiss for the provolone and try a mild cheddar on the edges. I think I'll also go with 4% bowl compensation to give me a little more dough. Thanks to this forum's members for showing us the way!

--Tim

Tim,

Great to hear you had great results with your Buddy's clone pizza! It looks great in every way. You sure did good with a 75% hydration dough on your first attempt and must be a natural when it comes to making this style of pizza. I am also glad to hear your Detroit style pizza was a hit with your family.

Thanks for explaining in detail what you did and posting the photos. Did you like how airy and light the crumb is?

Hi Norma. Thanks for your compliments. I wouldn't say I'm a natural -- just benefited from the experience and excellent posts of people like you.

I thought that light and airy crumb was amazing. While making the dough, I kept feeling like I should be adding sugar and oil, but it clearly doesn't need it. The dough was surprisingly easy to handle, and putting it into a pan is SO much easier for me than would be trying to shape it and slide it off a peel. I'm going to try that mixing technique on other high hydration doughs and see if it will work on them as well.

What are you using to oil the bottom of your pan these days? I just swabbed a bit of vegetable oil with a paper towel on the bottom of the pan.

I'll have to try making one of those cinnamon sugar dessert pizzas in the near future. They look delicious!

Hi Norma. Thanks for your compliments. I wouldn't say I'm a natural -- just benefited from the experience and excellent posts of people like you.

I thought that light and airy crumb was amazing. While making the dough, I kept feeling like I should be adding sugar and oil, but it clearly doesn't need it. The dough was surprisingly easy to handle, and putting it into a pan is SO much easier for me than would be trying to shape it and slide it off a peel. I'm going to try that mixing technique on other high hydration doughs and see if it will work on them as well.

What are you using to oil the bottom of your pan these days? I just swabbed a bit of vegetable oil with a paper towel on the bottom of the pan.

I'll have to try making one of those cinnamon sugar dessert pizzas in the near future. They look delicious!

--Tim

Hi Tim,

I do think you are natural. High hydration doughs are usually for the advanced pizza maker, but you sure caught on fast. I am glad you like the light and airy crumb of a Detroit style pizza.

I am using MFB (made for baking) which is a commercial baking shortening which I was give a sample of, but other members have posted that they like the Crisco butter shortening to grease their steel pans. I haven't tried that yet, but can imagine it would be very good for greasing the pans.

This was one different Detroit style pizza I made yesterday. I used the provolone cheese and grated it on the top of the other ingreidents before baking. The pepper and yellow and red tomatoes were from my garden. The garlic was given to me yesterday from friends of mine that do have a big garden. I used a fine grater to grate a garlic clove over the dressings before the bake. I thought the slice I ate tasted really good and the garlic, fresh veggies and the provolone cheese really made the slice better in my opinion.

The other Detroit style cheese pizza was just the last one of the day.